The Loneliest Moment
by wayward-tiger
Summary: Supernatural AU loosely based off of 'The Great Gatsby'.
1. It's Been Too Long

He remembered the intense green eyes and the perfectly supple cherry-hued lips. He remembered the soft blonde hair that tickled to the touch. The copper-spotted freckles that rested overtop lean peach skin. Castiel remembered everything about Dean Winchester.

Sam stepped off the run-down and slightly rusted bus, placing his freshly shined shoe firmly onto the solid gravel below. Moving several paces forward, he cleared the road enough to allow the mammoth bus to rumble onward whilst leaving a trail of dirt and dust in its wake. As he continued his pace, moving away from the bus stop, Sam began to shuck off his seemingly heavy russet vest, unused to the newly introduced summer heat. Sam's fox-slanted hazel eyes strained to stay open the farther he ventured away from the shade; his long brunette hair fluttering in the breeze.

Sam Winchester had taken to opportunity to travel to New York this summer so that he could visit with his brother, Dean, and brother-in-law, Alastair. Dean had married Alastair three years ago on spur of the moment after only having been courting for a meager five months prior. After tying the knot, the couple had later moved from Lawrence, Kansas to a cozy mansion home along the water in Long Island. Alastair had purchased such a plentiful piece of real estate to feed into Dean's ideas of wanting a large family. Sam couldn't help but get the feeling that Alastair actually had no intention of welcoming children into his and Dean's family, but rather went along with the notions to keep Dean amused.

Pulling out his pocket watch by the chain, Sam verified the time before he stopped along the sidewalk and signaled for a taxi. Without a moment's wait, a bright canary yellow cab came to a speedy halt in front of Sam. He skipped off the curbside and into the cab's back passenger seat, ducking his head and folding his tall frame to help force the squeeze in.

"Thank you, I wasn't sure how long it would take to get a cab." Sam greeted the driver, brushing his fingers through his hair hoping to tame the matting caused by the breeze.

"No one could miss a huge guy like you." The cab driver responded, "Where you headin'?"

"Long Island. West Egg, please."

"I didn't take you for the expensive sort?"

"You'd be correct in your assumption. It's my brother who's married into wealth. I'm here on a visit."

With that the conversation ended as quickly as it began, as did the cab driving off.

An hour later, the cab started a drive along the docks of the Long Island community. Sam peered out the smudged window at the spacious mansions across the water's path. He let out a low whistle just as the cab came to a stop before a set of iron gates.

"Thank you for the ride." Sam said, passing the driver his payment.

"Any time, it was my pleasure." The driver responded, stuffing the rolled up bills into his vest pocket.

Sam exited the cab only to be greeted by large black iron bar gates that reached a height of five feet above his head. The iron gates where connected on either side by a red brick wall that, Sam assumed, framed the entire length of the property. He was about to attempt a climb over the gated area until he caught site of his brother moving quickly from his bench seat in the rose garden, coming to greet his dearly missed Sam.

Dean pushed open the gate, allowing just enough room for Sam to pass through without trouble. Once Sam had crossed the threshold, the gates were immediately closed again and relocked. Dean turned into the direction of his taller younger brother and met him for an embrace. Both brothers let out a sigh in unison.

"It's been too long, Sammy." Dean breathed, hugging his Sam's broad shoulders tight, nuzzling his forehead against his strong chest.

"I've missed you a lot." Sam gave Dean a few soft pats on his back.

After a moment both brothers released their hold on the other and took a step back to give their sibling a once-over.

Dean recognized that Sam had grown a few inches since he last saw him. Sam was wearing a plain white dress shirt with his russet vest hanging over his arm in the crook of his elbow. A slanted-striped amber necktie rested between two black suspenders that connected onto his tanned bottoms. Sam had a healthy golden glow to his skin and a soft pink flush to his cheeks. Dean couldn't help but smile.

"You look great, little brother." Dean complimented Sam.

Sam noticed that Dean's skin was paler than ever, almost imitating the glow of the moon. The paleness of Dean's skin caused his colorful freckles and lips to stand out all the more. His blonde hair had been left to grow out, now curling slightly around his ears, partially framing his face. His hair was held in place by a dragonfly-shaped barrette that was studded with crystal. He was wearing a well-fitted apricot mid-bicep sleeve shirt that was partially unbuttoned down the front reaching to above his chest. Dean donned two thin strands of pearls around his neck, as well as two thick silver cuffs around his wrists. His khakis were freshly pressed, and his white loafers were spotless.

This new fashion choice of Dean's baffled Sam once he compared it to Dean's old style. The paleness of his skin and thinness of his frame also worried Sam. Not wanting to offend his brother, though, Sam opted to return the compliment.

"You, too, Dean."

Side by side, the brothers turned toward the mansion, walking up to the front doors. Dean opened one of the large, dark stained mahogany doors and welcomed Sam inside.

The interior of the entry room was grand to say the least. The flooring was ceramic tile, checkered with black and white, and the walls were covered in design of gold paper. There was a large window that was placed opposite of the door, covered with heavy burgundy drapes. Two sets of stair cases merged from below the center of the window, allowing for a grand balcony to great new guests.

"Have a seat for a moment, let me go get Al. He'll be so excited to see you!" Dean laughed softly with excitement.

Dean hurriedly scampered up one of the side staircases that lead to the merged balcony and disappeared. Sam took his brother's advice and took a seat in one of the comfortably furnished chairs. While he was waiting, he couldn't help but admire the workmanship that was put into building the house. He continued to let his attention wander until he heard a man clearing his throat behind him. Sam turned around, in the direction of the balcony, only to find Alastair leaning against the railing staring down at him.

"Welcome, my boy." Alastair greeted.


	2. Red Lips

Sam peered up at Alastair, the man leaning over the marble balcony. Alastair was dressed in a cardinal pin-striped jacket with white pressed pants. His appearance was clean, all but for his thin scraggly beard that hung close to his chin and his disturbingly flashy grin. Alastair's teeth were a dull yellow, sharp at the ends with bright pink gums. The smile unsettled Sam, knowing this was the mouth his brother kissed every morning.

"Come in, come in, I insist." Alastair greeted once more, making a waving motion with his hands as if to summon Sam closer towards him.

As Sam rose to his feet and made his way to greet Alastair as he made his approach at the bottom of the stair case, he noticed Dean's absence.

"Where'd my brother go?" Sam asked, shaking Alastair's hand out of politeness for his brother's husband. Sam was never a fan of his brother-in-law.

"Oh, you know Dean; always needs to be perfect for company. He'll be down in a moment or two. Worry not." Alastair reassured Sam, wrapping his arm around the back of Sam's shoulders and neck, leading him into another room.

Sam was lead into a new room, a parlor room from what Sam guessed, where he was made to sit in a high-back cushioned chair. The upholstery of the chair matched the drapes in color, and the frame was made of stained walnut. Alastair sat in the seat across from him, crossing his legs and folding his arms over his knee as they both waited for Dean to return.

"How were your travels, Sam?" Alastair asked, bringing his folded hands to his chin, resting his elbows along the armrests.

"They were fine, Mr. Heyerdahl." Sam responded nervously. He never felt comfortable using Alastair's first name.

"Please, call me Al." Alastair retorted, "I hope you didn't have much trouble getting here, though?"

"Not at all, no sir." Sam continued to quietly refuse using Alastair's name.

Another awkward moment dragged out until the hurried pattering steps of Dean's loafers against the marble stairs echoed through the halls. Almost out of breath, Dean appeared in the parlor entry way dressed in a loose cream-colored cashmere sweater and blindingly white pants, which almost mirrored Alastair's.

"Sorry I took so long, I couldn't find the stupid sweater." Dean sighed, moving into the room and behind his husband. He leaned his weight against the chair Alastair was still sitting in.  
"Not a problem, Dear, I was just asking Sam here about his travels." Dean's husband reassured him, giving his hand a small stroke of affection.

"Oh, yes, how was it, Sammy? I've heard the bus ride is horrendous!" Dean spat out, quickly taking his own seat beside Sam's chair so he could hear detailed accounts of Sam's journey from Kansas.

"Well I'll let you two get reacquainted while I go have Meg put some tea on." Alastair spoke as he removed himself from his seat and then the room.

"Thanks, Al!" Dean called out, pressing his hand along the edge of his lips to help the sound carry in the right direction. That's when Sam noticed the small difference in Dean's appearance from earlier: his lips were a darker red.

"Dean, is that lipstick?" Sam asked, grabbing hold of Dean's wrist to pull him closer for inspection. "Are you wearing lipstick?"

"Sammy, let go of me…" Dean struggled in his brother's hold.

"Dean, what's with you wearing lipstick? Since when has that been your thing?" Sam continued to question.

Just then, a loud bell sounded through the halls, alerting the happy couple that they were to receive guests at their front door. Dean continued to struggle until he managed to squirm out of Sam's grasp.

"Don't worry about it, Sam. I'll be right back, I've gotta get this." Dean muttered, rubbing his wrist that was still covered by the silver cuff.

"What the— " Sam was left dumbfound and standing in the parlor as Dean rushed to answer the door.


	3. Vibrant Smudge

A loud bark of laughter rang through the parlor once the door was opened to greet the unexpected guest. Sam was drawn from his daunting daze when he saw his brother and an unfamiliar guest standing before him side by side. Both men were looking to him with bright smiles plastered on their faces.

The unfamiliar guest standing beside Sam's brother was short, standing a few inches below six feet tall. He had soft brunette hair that was lazily combed back from his forehead. He had thin lips that curved into a sharp smirk, and piercing gold eyes that reminded him of the beasts he once imagined roamed the jungle floor.

"Sam, this is my friend, Gabriel." Dean introduced the stranger, emphasizing his statement with fluid hand motions, "Gabriel, this is my brother, Sam."

Sam held out his hand in greeting and was met by Gabriel's firm grip. They both shook hands and smiled for a moment before relinquishing contact.

Gabriel Wheeler was a small man born into the gracious upper class society of New York. He was known for his incredulous tomfoolery and rampant gossiping around town. He had a sweet tooth for confectionery treats and enjoyed poking fun at other people's expense.

"It's nice to finally meet you, Sam. Dean's told me so much about you." Gabriel beamed at him.

Dean had first met Gabriel during an outing at one of Alastair's prestigious golf tournaments. Being that both Alastair and Gabriel were from a plethora of wealth, both men enjoyed taking part in the leisurely sport. Gabriel had happened to be in attendance amongst the crowd that day, choosing to save his game for another occasion.

However, Alastair had been playing that day, and Dean had been left to sit on and cheer in the crowded sidelines. Gabriel spotted Dean in the stands, watching Alastair so intently, and decided to make an entrance into the married man's life. He introduced himself to Dean once after mocking his husband's form and seriously sinister appearance. Dean had taken no offense to any of the comments made by Gabriel, but rather enjoyed his light-hearted attitude and preferred to keep him as company. The two had been close friends ever since, enjoying in each other's witty charms.

"I'm afraid I can't say the same for you. My brother and I have very little contact these days aside from the occasional letters we might exchange. I wish that weren't the case, though. I do look forward to getting to know you better, Gabriel." Sam smiled, noting the way Gabriel batted his eyelashes overtop his squinted eyes.

"Please, call me 'Gabe'." Gabriel corrected.  
Rolling his eyes, Dean grabbed Sam by the arm and started dragging him into a new room.

"C'mon, you two, time for dinner!" Dean teased, pulling Sam along while Gabriel followed.

Entering the dining room, Sam noticed that Alastair was already seated at the head of the table. Dean directed Sam to sit across from him, so that both brothers were seated at Alastair's sides. Gabriel took his place next to Dean without any guidance.

The room was large, but the setting seemed rather intimate for being such a grand space. The table was solid wood, and the walls were lined with large, framed windows. Two maids waited near the kitchen door. One was a pale-skinned woman with long almost-black hair that was holding a tray that balanced a pitcher of iced tea in its center. The other maid had blonde hair that stopped at her shoulders, chocolate tinted eyes, and a displeasing pout set on her pink lips. Once everyone was seated, both maids came over to tend to the dining guests, placing their napkins and serving their drinks.

"Thank you, Meg." Alastair spoke to the dark-haired girl, nodding his head. He looked over at the other and gave the same gesture, "Ruby."

With their master's permission, the two girls paced back into the kitchen to retrieve dinner.

Dinner was consumed with the company of pleasant chatter. Gabriel inquired more information from Sam, pertaining mostly to his profession and leisure. The conversation rambled on for close to almost two hours, covering the topics of wealthy gossip, business, and of course introductions. The conversation continued smoothly until Gabriel made a brief mention of someone named 'Cassie'.

"I would love to go to one of his parties finally. I hear they're the greatest shindig on this side of the continent. Dean, we really should go! Especially now since Sammy's here." Gabriel oozed on, paying no attention to the grim expression that set on Alastair's features.

Dean's eyes were wide, bright, and smiling, but the rest of his body language conveyed that he was unsure about accepting Gabriel's suggestion.

"Dean." Alastair raised his voice in a calm manner, interrupting the onslaught of word diarrhea Gabriel was expressing.

Dean turned toward his husband and looked him in the eye for a split second before lowering his gaze to the glossy floor. He leaned over from his chair and placed a kiss on Alastair's jaw, just beneath his ear. The contact of soft lips against skin left a vibrant red lip-shaped smudge behind. Sam noted that the kiss was given with little enthusiasm.

"If you'll excuse us for a moment, boys." Alastair spoke as he and Dean raised themselves from their places at the table in unison.

Together, Dean and Alastair left their guests to their own devices and walked out of the dining room. Alastair led Dean away, placing his hand in the small of Dean's back. Before he was out of sight, Dean made sure to peek over his shoulder and smile at his brother.

_What the hell?_ Sam couldn't help but think.


	4. Kitten

After Alastair excused both Dean and himself from the dinner party, Sam was left in the large dining room with Gabriel. He glanced around the room, trying to remember what their conversation was that led up to the sudden turn of the mood. Was it the party?

"So, Sam, what do you do for a living?" Gabriel asked Sam before taking a sip of water from his crystal glass.

Clearing his throat, Sam braced himself for socialization, "I'm in law practice."

"Is that so?" Gabriel raised an eyebrow, "Your brother told me much about you while you were absent. I assume you were at school?"

"Yes, Stanford, actually." Sam fed into Gabriel's interest.

"A California boy, eh?" A grin started at the corners of Gabriel's lips.

"Ah, yes…" Sam's cheeks began to flush under Gabriel's newfound curiosity in his personal life. He began to shift in his seat and loosen his tie when he heard someone move into the room.

Both Sam and Gabriel turned in the direction of the new movement, only to be met by Alastair standing in the entry way alone.

"I'm afraid to say that Dean's retired for the evening." Alastair sighed while glancing over his guests, "It seems he's had too much excitement for one day."

Hearing Alastair's words, Ruby and Meg quickly made their way to the guests from their spot along the kitchen wall. The two maids hastily cleared the table of its mess. Once the space was cleared Gabriel and Sam made their way from their seats to see themselves out.

"Sam, I'll ride you home if you'd like?" Gabriel offered.

"Thank you, that would be greatly appreciated. I should be getting my own car sometime tomorrow afternoon once the train has come in." Sam accepted the offer thankfully.

As the two guests neared their exit, Sam caught sight of one of the maids in close contact with his brother-in-law. Meg had approached Alastair's left side, leaning in close to his ear with her plush lips and soft flowing hair. He saw Alastair wrap his arm around the maid's tiny waist and pull her a few inches closer to his hip.

"Al, what're we waitin' for?" Sam heard the maid whisper to Alastair.

"Just a moment, Kitten." Alastair purred.

Sam forced himself to look away immediately after overhearing Alastair's response. He couldn't believe his ears. Was Alastair in an affair with the maid?

Knocking himself back into reality while maintaining his composure, he was met by Gabriel's smiling eyes. The short man took his arm and directed him out the door. Before the door was shut, Sam heard Alastair greet them a good night.

Gabriel's convertible was parked in front of the front stairs. Both men hopped into the seats and drove off the property with reasonable speed.

"Did you know?" Gabriel asked Sam, breaking the long silence that had plagued their company since their exit.

"Did I know what?" Sam asked.

"Don't play the fool, Sammy. You're well aware of what I'm asking." Gabriel deadpanned.

"If you're asking about whether or not I knew my brother-in-law was having an affair with one of the housemaids, then my answer would have to be no. I didn't know." Sam snapped.

Another period of silence grew for a moment until the vehicle approached Sam's new cottage. Gabriel spoke again before he parked the car for Sam to leave, "Dean knows."

Sam twisted his head to meet Gabriel's stare. "Dean knows?"

"You can't say anything about it, though. It's hard enough for him."

Confused, Sam didn't know how to respond to this new information, "Why?"

It was one simple word. One simple question. But it was all Sam could think of to say now. It was the only thought he could use to express the distress he had meant to convey. It seemed Gabriel understood just fine.

"For hope, I suppose?" Gabriel sighed, taking a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it between his fingers. "I'm not quite sure, but I'd imagine you'd have to speak with Dean to find out the true reasoning."

Sam silently nodded and removed himself from the car. "Thank you for the ride home, Gabriel."

"Please, call me Gabe." Gabriel winked as he started up the car again, "I'll see you around?"

"I suppose you will, Gabe." Sam smiled, trying to forget the latest issues involving Dean's marriage.

With a tilt of his head, Gabriel drove away, leaving Sam standing alone on his front lawn. As Sam began to retreat towards his front door, he felt a strange sensation of apprehension. He looked over his surroundings until his gaze came across a lit window that belonged to his neighbor's mansion. Standing in that window he saw the silhouette of a man peering down at him before the curtains were quickly drawn.

Sam shrugged off the odd sight of his neighbor snooping and continued into his new home for the night.


	5. A Little Party

The next morning when Sam stepped out for his morning walk along the gentle shoreline, he was greeted by a neatly tucked envelope seated on his front porch welcome mat. The contents of the envelope were that of an invitation to a party that was apparently being held that evening, and it was being hosted at an address that was located beside his own. The bottom of the invitation was signed with 'Cassie'.

While standing on his porch and reviewing his invitation, Sam couldn't help but think he was being watched. However, he shrugged it off and continued along with his scheduled routine, tucking the invitation into his jacket's inner breast pocket.

Sam's day had consisted of a soothing walk along Long Island shoreline, enabling him to further explore his new home. He had come to find that he enjoyed the island's residents—seeming delightful and carefree while they played in the blue water and rolled around on white sand. They had all greeted him with a warm welcome and a smile.

On his return trip toward his home, he took notice of the white-barred dock that led out into the bay. The dock was situated directly in front of his neighbor's god-like abode.

Upon his arrival at his home, he took the time to take the invitation into consideration. He thought of his brother, Dean, and wondered if perhaps he would be pleased to attend the event with him. After the disconcerting behavior displayed by Alastair the previous night, Sam couldn't help but think that maybe Dean needed some time away from his husband in order to clear his head. Maybe then he would be able to open his eyes and see that he was trapped in a seemingly loveless marriage. If what Gabriel had told him the night before was true, Sam could only pray that Dean would soon realize that he needed to escape and reclaim his abandoned freedom.

With this train of thought taking hold of his current focus, Sam decided to allow himself a chance to call his brother. Sitting down within the boundaries of his cushioned window seat, Sam grabbed the black desk phone and pulled it to his lap. He pointed his finger into the first number slot along the dialing wheel and began to spin in the numbers to his brother's phone line. Once finished, he waited patiently as he listened to the reverberating volume of the ringtone.

"Heyerdahl residence." The answering voice spoke, giving no inclination of their current mood.

"Yes, may I please speak with Dean? This is his brother, Sam, calling."

"One moment please." Sam heard the phone being set down on the, what he assumed was, white marble table the Heyerdahls kept in their window room.

After a moment of silence and then a second worth of shuffling, Sam finally heard someone take hold of the phone piece. "Hello?"

"Dean?" Sam hesitated; wanting to make certain it was indeed his brother he was speaking with.

"Speaking." Dean responded, "Is this Sammy?"

"Yeah, it's me," Sam couldn't help but smile when he heard the lightened tone in his brother's voice when saying his childish nickname.

"What's up, Sam? Having a good first day in Long Island? Much better than that stuffy university of yours, I'm sure. I'd bet this is the first time in almost half a decade since you've seen the face of sunlight!" Dean laughed into the mouthpiece, allowing himself to ramble on about Sam's embarrassingly laughable college experience.

"I'm enjoying it well enough, Dean," Sam made certain to reassure his teasing sibling, "But I wanted to call you for a different reason."

"Oh? And what would that reason be?" Dean's curiosity was piqued.

"Do you remember our conversation from last night over dinner? I believe it trailed off into some unknown topic-territory concerning parties and the like. Well, it turns out that there will be a party tonight! I've received a written invitation this morning, and it says that it's apparently being hosted by this Cassie guy that we've discussed." Sam stopped when he heard a slight whine at the other end of the phone.

"Dean?" Sam spoke.

"Yes, Sammy, I'm still here." Dean reassured him.

"Good. So, I was wondering if you'd like to attend the party with me tonight? I'm sure it'll be fun, especially if we go together." Sam tried his best to sound convincing.

The other end of the phone was eerily quiet for a moment. "Sam, I'm sorry, but I'm actually a bit occupied at the moment—err, rather this evening."

"Dean, I swear it'll be fun. Come on, you need some time away from your place. Have a little fun and reclaim your freedom for the night! A little party never killed nobody!"

"Sam, I can't." Dean's voice sounded cold and serious.

The moment fell silent again.

"Is it because of Alastair?" Sam began to inquire without any regard for his brother's feelings, "Don't let him hold you back, Dean. I know you used to love parties."

Dean cleared his throat, coughing lightly to the side before answering Sam, "It's not because of Alastair. I just can't, Sam, ok? I'm busy."

"Are you sure?" Sam continued.

"Yes, Sam, I'm sure. But don't let my absence hold you back. I'm sure you'll still have just as lovely as a time by yourself as you would if I was there. I'm not as much fun as I used to be, y'know. Aging really does drag your partying down." Dean tried to joke.

"It won't be as fun without you, Dean, don't try to kid yourself."

"Perhaps not, but you'll still have a good time nonetheless, I'm sure. Heck, if I know Gabe, he'll probably wind up attending! He can't ever seem to miss a good party."

At the thought of Gabriel being in Sam's presence thus again, his mood perked up. Sam thought about how much he'd actually like to spend more time with the shorter man that his brother considered a close friend. Not only would he perhaps learn more about his brother's situation, but he could also learn more about the man himself. He seemed to be developing some type of infatuation for Gabriel.

"Alright, Dean, I'll go. But just promise me that you have a good time tonight regardless of what you're doing, ok?" Sam gave in to his brother's argument.

"I promise, Sam." Dean agreed, allowing a smile to spread across his lips even though he knew his younger sibling would not be able to see it.

The two brothers said their goodbyes shortly after that and continued about their daily business. Sam prepared himself for the party that would soon be starting within the upcoming hour next door. He was both excited and terrified for the night. He was excited for his new and unknown discoveries, but he was also afraid for his brother and his decreasing amount of freedom.

With a final tug of his necktie, Sam walked out the door and into the brightly colored night that already shown great promise.


	6. You Know

The night air was cool and carried the scent of the bay's refreshing water. The sky was illuminated by dozens of Hollywood-styled spotlights that drifted their way across the dark canvas; back and forth, drawing more party guests to the scene like a moth to the flame.

The loud and lively jazz music echoed out into the front gates where Sam now stood. The large painted gates were open and welcoming to the night's attendants that meandered their way in as though they were salmon racing upstream. Sam was among the busy crowd as he was pushed and prodded along the flow of traffic. As he walked on in the company of strangers, Sam clasped onto the invitation that had been addressed to him earlier.

Glancing over his shoulder, Sam caught sight of someone who looked to be a hosting member of the part. He strolled forward, delicately shoving his way through the mass of visitors.

"Excuse me, Sir, where am I able to turn in my invitation?" Sam asked the assumed host—a man dressed in a pressed black suit with a coal-black bowtie and crisp, clean white gloves.

"What invitation?" The host asked, giving Sam a quizzical look.

"This invitation," Sam held out the piece of stationary he had been clutching onto for dear life, "It was addressed to me and delivered to my doorstep this morning."

"Well, if it isn't little-brother-Sammy!" a voice called from behind Sam and the host.

A pair of petite hands gripped hold of Sam's arm and turned him around to face the owner of the familiar voice. When Sam regained his balance, he looked down to see Gabriel staring up at him. His night had seemed to improve within a matter of seconds.

"Gabriel, I wasn't expecting to see you here." Sam smiled, lying through his teeth—Dean and Sam had earlier discussed the probability of the small man being in attendance at the night's party.

"I'm sorry I couldn't meet your expectations." Gabriel teased, batting playfully at Sam's elbow.

"Don't apologize," Sam laughed, "Did you get an invitation, too?"

"An invitation? Sam, no one gets an invitation for Cassie's parties." Gabriel spoke, "Everyone just shows up. These parties are apparently legendary because they're so grand. People come from miles to walk through these gates."

"Oh, I see." Sam breathed for a moment with uncertainty, "I wonder why I was given this, then?" Sam showed Gabriel the invitation he was holding.

"Beats me," Gabriel shrugged, "C'mon, Sam, let's go somewhere a bit more private."

Gabriel pulled Sam along, taking hold of his large hand that almost equaled the size of a bear's paw. The two men wormed their way through the crowd and into a more secluded garden that branched off from the front yard. Gabriel directed them to both sit on a stone bench that faced a cherub-decorated dancing fountain.

"So Dean wasn't able to make it tonight, I assume?" Gabriel asked while taking his seat.

"I'm afraid not." Sam told him, "I couldn't convince him to come. He said he was busy this evening with something else."

"That's a lie." Gabriel spat.

"What's a lie?" Sam asked with curiosity.

"Dean's not busy. We all know it." Gabriel began talking about his best friend, "It's that damn husband of his."

Sam quietly nodded his agreement, directing his gaze to the top of his feet that rested atop the lush garden grass. They both let a moment pass silently as they absorbed what was being said.

"He beats him, y'know." Gabriel broke the silence.

Sam's eyes widened with horror and then narrowed with intense rage.

"Dean's never told me himself, but I've figured that's the reasoning behind him always wearing those elaborate cuffs." Gabriel sighed, "One time when we went swimming at the beach, he took the silver cuffs off. He was standing there in nothing but his swim trunks and I saw bruises that painted his wrists. Hell, I even saw some dark marks on his hips. And trust me, they certainly didn't look like they were caused by an accidental fall down the stairs."

"Gabriel…" Sam breathed, not knowing what else he could say.

"It doesn't matter if you ask him about it, either, 'cause he'll just deny it." Gabriel continued, "I've tried reporting my suspicions to the police before, but they just ignored me… I guess that's what happens when the person you're trying to accuse of spousal abuse is best friends with the commissioner and everyone else on the department. I mean, practically the who town knows about Alastair's affair, too!"

"We've gotta get him out of there." Sam spoke with certainty and confidence.

"I know, Sammy. You've gotta help him. God knows I've tried my darnedest, but nothing I seem to do works." The smaller man huffed, shaking his head in frustration, "You're his weak spot, Sam. I'm sure you can get through to him somehow."

"Yeah, maybe," Sam nodded, "Regardless, I'll find some way to get him out of there."

The two sat together with only the resounding vocals of the musicians carrying across the wind as company. Moments of contemplation passed when a man with darker colored skin stepped forward from the garden's entrance and presented himself in front of Gabriel and Sam.

"Mr. Wheeler, Mr. Cassie would like to speak with you, Sir." The man spoke.

"With me?" Gabriel asked with surprise.

"Yes, Sir." The man nodded, "If you'll just follow me, I'll take you to him."

Gabriel looked to Sam briefly, "I'll be back, Sam." Gabriel stood up and walked after the man.

Sam sat in solitude, scrutinizing his possible success in attempting to rid his brother of his possessive husband. He wondered how it was that it had become his responsibility now to look out for the safety of his brother, when all this time before it had been Dean's one and only quest to care for the safety and security of Sam.

_Oh, how the tables have turned to create such a cruel fate._


End file.
